Paul McCartney cancels Japanese leg of "Out There" trek due to illness

Paul McCartney has cancelled the Japanese leg of his "Out There" tour before he's even taken the stage.

The former Beatle, who arrived in Tokyo Friday (5/16) for a two-night stand, got sick before the performances and pulled out of both. As a result of the illness, the iconic musician has cancelled the remaining date: May 24 in Osaka.

McCartney is slated to return to the stage May 28 in Seoul, South Korea, before returning stateside for a North American leg that kicks off June 14 in Lubbock, TX.

Though McCartney's spokesperson said "all possibilities to find a solution to reschedule these shows as soon as possible are being explored," the tour promoter, Kyodo Tokyo Inc., will begin issuing refunds for the sold-out Japanese dates Thursday (5/22), according to published reports.

McCartney continues promoting his 16th studio effort, "New," which surfaced last October. The Virgin EMI Records release peaked at No. 3 on both The Billboard 200 and the U.K. Albums chart.